Olympus E-PL1s vs Panasonic FZ60

Here, we are reviewing the Olympus E-PL1s vs Panasonic FZ60, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There is a considerable difference among the image resolutions of the E-PL1s (12MP) and FZ60 (16MP) and the E-PL1s (Four Thirds) and FZ60 (1/2.3") offer totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL1s was manufactured 20 months prior to the FZ60 making them a generation apart from each other. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL1s being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FZ60 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting right into a complete comparison, here is a short summary of how the E-PL1s matches up against the FZ60 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL1s & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ60. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL1s Gallery & Panasonic FZ60 Gallery.

When you are looking to carry your camera regularly, you're going to have to think about its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL1s enjoys physical measurements of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") and a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) and the Panasonic FZ60 has measurements of 120mm x 81mm x 92mm (4.7" x 3.2" x 3.6") and a weight of 493 grams (1.09 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL1s vs Panasonic FZ60 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you have at that time. Following is a front view proportions comparison of the E-PL1s compared to the FZ60.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL1s and FZ60 is 86 and 68 respectively.

Oftentimes, it can be hard to envision the contrast in sensor sizing simply by viewing a spec sheet. The graphic below will help offer you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL1s and FZ60.

As you can see, each of the cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-PL1s due to its larger sensor will make achieving shallow DOF easier and the Panasonic FZ60 will result in extra detail due to its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop photos way more aggressively. The older E-PL1s will be behind when it comes to sensor technology.